Build a Kit

A disaster supplies kit is simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.

Try to assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency. You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.

You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.

Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages.

Water

Store water tightly in clean plastic containers such as soft drink bottles.

Keep at least a three-day supply of water per person.

Food

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.

Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or
no water.

Pack a manual can opener and eating utensils.

Choose foods your family will eat:

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables

Protein or fruit bars

Dry cereal or granola

Peanut butter

Dried fruit

Nuts

Crackers

Canned juices

Non-perishable pasteurized milk

High energy foods

Vitamins

Food for infants

Comfort/stress foods

Many potential terrorist attacks could send tiny microscopic "junk" into the air.
For example, an explosion may release very fine debris that can cause lung damage.
A biological attack may release germs that can make you sick if inhaled or absorbed
through open cuts. Many of these agents can only hurt you if they get into your
body, so think about creating a barrier between yourself and any contamination.

Nose and mouth protection

Face masks or dense-weave cotton material, that snugly covers your nose and mouth
and is specifically fit for each member of the family. Do whatever you can to make
the best fit possible for children.

Be prepared to improvise with what you have on hand to protect your nose, mouth,
eyes and cuts in your skin. Anything that fits snugly over your nose and mouth,
including any dense-weave cotton material, can help filter contaminants in an emergency.
It is very important that most of the air you breathe comes through the mask or
cloth, not around it. Do whatever you can to make the best fit possible for children.
There are also a variety of face masks readily available in hardware stores that
are rated based on how small a particle they can filter in an industrial setting.

Given the different types of attacks that could occur, there is not one solution
for masking. For instance, simple cloth face masks can filter some of the airborne
"junk" or germs you might breathe into your body, but will probably not protect
you from chemical gases. Still, something over your nose and mouth in an emergency
is better than nothing. Limiting how much "junk" gets into your body may impact
whether or not you get sick or develop disease.

Other barriers

Heavyweight plastic garbage bags or plastic sheeting

Duct tape

Scissors

There are circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself
and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as "shelter-in-place,"
is a matter of survival. You can use these things to tape up windows, doors and
air vents if you need to seal off a room from outside contamination. Consider precutting
and labeling these materials. Anything you can do in advance will save time when
it counts.

Use available information to assess the situation. If you see large amounts of debris
in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you can use
these things to tape up windows, doors and air vents if you need to seal off a room.
Read more: Deciding to Stay or Go.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration) filter fans

Once you have sealed a room with plastic sheeting and duct tape you may have created
a better barrier between you and any contaminants that may be outside. However,
no seal is perfect and some leakage is likely. In addition to which, you may find
yourself in a space that is already contaminated to some degree.

Consider a portable air purifier, with a HEPA filter, to help remove contaminants
from the room where you are sheltering. These highly efficient filters have small
sieves that can capture very tiny particles, including some biological agents. Once
trapped within a HEPA filter contaminants cannot get into your body and make you
sick. While these filters are excellent at filtering dander, dust, molds, smoke,
biological agents and other contaminants, they will not stop chemical gases.

Some people, particularly those with severe allergies and asthma, use HEPA filters
in masks, portable air purifiers as well as in larger home or industrial models
to continuously filter the air.

In any emergency a family member or you yourself may be cut, burned or suffer other
injuries. If you have these basic supplies you are better prepared to help your
loved ones when they are hurt.

Remember, many injuries are not life threatening and do not require immediate medical
attention. Knowing how to treat minor injuries can make a difference in an emergency.
Consider taking a first aid class, but simply having the following things can help
you stop bleeding, prevent infection and assist in decontamination.

Things you should have:

Two pairs of Latex, or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex).

Sterile dressings to stop bleeding.

Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect.

Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.

Burn ointment to prevent infection.

Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes.

Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant.

Thermometer (Read more: Biological Threat)

Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and
asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration
dates.

Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment
and supplies.

Things it may be good to have:

Cell Phone

Scissors

Tweezers

Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

Non-prescription drugs:

Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever

Anti-diarrhea medication

Antacid (for upset stomach)

Laxative

Emergency supplies

Water, food, and clean air are the essential items for survival. Each family or
individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs, such as medications
and infant formula. It should also be customized to include important family documents.

Recommended supplies to include in a portable kit:

Water, amounts for portable kits will vary. Individuals should determine what amount
they are able to both store comfortably outside the home and be able to transport
to other locations

Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

Battery-powered radio and extra batteries

Flashlight and extra batteries

First Aid kit

Whistle to signal for help

Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air

Moist towelettes for sanitation

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)

Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant

Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

Emergency supplies

Water, food, and clean air are the essential items for survival. Each family or
individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs, such as medications
and infant formula. It should also be customized to include important family documents.

Recommended supplies to include in a basic kit:

Water, one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation

Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

Battery-powered radio and extra batteries

Flashlight and extra batteries

First Aid kit

Whistle to signal for help

Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air

Moist towelettes for sanitation

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)

Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant

Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

Clothing and bedding

During the cold weather months in South Texas, you must think about warmth. It is
possible that the power will be out and you will not have heat. Rethink your clothing
and bedding supplies to account for growing children and other family changes.

One complete change of warm clothing and shoes per person, including:

A jacket or coat

Long pants

A long sleeve shirt

Sturdy shoes

A hat and gloves

A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person

Other items to consider adding to your supply kit:

Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or a print out of this information

Rain gear

Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils

Cash or traveler's checks, change

Paper towels

Fire Extinguisher

Tent

Compass

Matches in a waterproof container

Signal flare

Paper, pencil

Medicine dropper

Feminine supplies

Personal hygiene items

Disinfectant

Household chlorine bleach

You can use bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part bleach),
or in an emergency you can also use it to purify water. Use 16 drops of regular
household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches
with added cleaners.

Important family documents

Keep copies of important family records such as insurance policies, identification
and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container.

Remember the special needs of your family members. Infants, the elderly and persons
with disabilities need the same planning as everyone else, and sometimes a little
more, to be prepared for a terrorist attack.

For baby

Formula

Diapers

Bottles

Powdered milk

Medications

Moist towelettes

Diaper rash ointment

For adults

Ask your doctor about storing prescription medications such as heart and high blood
pressure medication, insulin and other prescription drugs.

Denture needs

Contact lenses and supplies

Extra eye glasses

For seniors

Plan how you will evacuate or signal for help.

Plan emergency procedures with home health care agencies or workers.

Tell others where you keep your emergency supplies.

Teach others how to operate necessary equipment.

Label equipment like wheelchairs, canes or walkers.

Additional supplies for seniors

List of prescription medications including dosage in your supply kits. Include any
allergies.

Extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries.

Extra wheelchair batteries or other special equipment in your supply kit.

A list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers in
your emergency supply kits.

Copies of medical insurance and Medicare cards.

List of doctors and emergency contacts.

For People with Disabilities

Create a support network to help in an emergency.

Tell these people where you keep your emergency supplies.

Give one member of your support network a key to your house or apartment.

Contact your city or county government's emergency information management office.
Many local offices keep lists of people with disabilities so they can be located
quickly in a sudden emergency.

If you are dependent on dialysis or other life sustaining treatment, know the location
and availability of more than one facility.

Show others how to operate your wheelchair.

Know the size and weight of your wheelchair, in addition to whether or not it is
collapsible, in case it has to be transported.

People who are deaf or hearing impaired

he following tips* will assist people who are deaf or hearing impaired to be prepared
when disasters strike:

Hearing aids

Store hearing aid(s) in a strategic, consistent and secured location so they can
be found and used after a disaster. For example, consider storing them in a container
by your bedside, which is attached to a nightstand or bedpost using a string or
Velcro. Missing or damaged hearing aids will be difficult to replace or fix immediately
after a major disaster.

Communication

Determine how you will communicate with emergency personnel if there is no interpreter
or if you don’t have your hearing aids. Store paper and pens for this purpose.

Consider carrying a pre-printed copy of important messages with you, such as: "I
speak American Sign Language (ASL) and need an ASL interpreter," "I do not write
or read English," and "If you make announcements, I will need to have them written
or signed."

If possible, obtain a battery-operated television that has a decoder chip for access
to signed or captioned emergency reports.

Determine which broadcasting systems will be accessible in terms of continuous news
that will be captioned and/or signed. Advocate so that television stations have
a plan to secure emergency interpreters for on-camera emergency duty.

Alarms

Install both audible alarms and visual smoke alarms. At least one should be battery
operated.

Advocacy

Recruit interpreters to be Red Cross emergency volunteers.

Maintain advocacy for TV stations to broadcast all news and emergency information
in open caption format.

Ensure hotels have access packets for the deaf and hearing-impaired persons, including
visual alarms, when you travel. Ask for them when you check in.

*Compiled from the Independent Living Resource Center, San Francisco, California.

Additional Supplies for People with Disabilities

Prescription medicines, list of medications including dosage, list of any allergies.

Extra eyeglasses, hearing aid batteries and cane.

Extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen.

Scooter or wheelchair patch kit, extra inner tubes and other repair supplies. Also
include heavy gloves for wheeling over glass and debris.

Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices.

Medical insurance and Medicare cards.

List of doctors, relatives or friends who should be notified if you are hurt.

Other items to consider

Pads and pencils for communication and/or to keep track of instructions you may
receive